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Putin, Trump Envoys Hold Ukraine Talks 01/23 06:28
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the settlement in Ukraine with
U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys during marathon overnight talks, and the
Kremlin insisted that the territorial issue needs to be resolved to reach a
peace deal.
(AP) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the settlement in Ukraine
with U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys during marathon overnight talks, and
the Kremlin insisted that the territorial issue needs to be resolved to reach a
peace deal.
The Kremlin meeting, which lasted past 3 a.m. Friday, came hours after
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sharply criticized his European allies
Thursday for what he cast as their slow and fragmented response to Russia's
nearly four-year full-scale invasion that he said has left Ukraine at the mercy
of Putin amid an ongoing U.S. push for a peace settlement.
Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, who participated in Putin's
meeting with Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, said "it was
reaffirmed that reaching a long-term settlement can't be expected without
solving the territorial issue," a reference to Moscow's demand that Kyiv
withdraws its troops from the areas in the east that Russia illegally annexed
but never fully captured.
Zelenskyy said after meeting Thursday with Trump in Davos, Switzerland, that
the future status of land in eastern Ukraine currently occupied by Russia is
unresolved but that peace proposals are "nearly ready."
On a positive note, Ushakov told reporters that it was agreed that Russian,
Ukrainian and U.S. officials will hold talks on security issues related to a
prospective peace deal in the United Arab Emirates on Friday.
Ushakov noted that Trump's envoys informed Putin about Trump's meeting with
Zelenskyy, as well as earlier discussions they had with Ukrainian and European
officials. The Kremlin talks that he described as "frank, constructive" and
"fruitful" began when it was just before midnight in Moscow and lasted nearly
four hours.
Witkoff and Kushner were joined by Josh Gruenbaum, the head of the Federal
Acquisition Service who serves as a senior adviser on Trump's Board of Peace
that Russia has been invited to join. While Russia is considering the
invitation, Putin reaffirmed his offer to send $1 billion to the board from
Russian assets frozen in the U.S. to help fund rebuilding Gaza.
Asked about Putin's proposal to use Russia's frozen assets for the
contribution to the Board of Peace, Trump said he thought it was fine. "If he's
using his money, that's great," he said
Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy met with Trump behind closed doors for about an hour at the World
Economic Forum in Davos, describing the meeting as "productive and meaningful."
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew back to Washington
from Davos, Trump said his meeting with Zelenskyy went well, adding that both
Putin and Zelenskyy want to reach a deal and that "everyone's making
concessions" to try to end the war.
He said the sticking points in talks remain the same as they've been during
talks held during the past six or seven months, noting "boundaries" was a key
issue. "The main hold-up is the same things that's been holding it up for the
last year," he said.
Russia's bigger army has managed to capture about 20% of Ukraine since
hostilities began in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of 2022. But the
battlefield gains along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line have
been costly for Moscow, and the Russian economy is feeling the consequences of
the war and international sanctions.
Ukraine is short of money and, despite significantly boosting its own arms
manufacturing, still needs Western weaponry. It is also short-handed on the
front line. Its defense minister last week reported some 200,000 troop
desertions, and draft-dodging by about 2 million Ukrainians.
Zelenskyy blasts European allies
Addressing the World Economic Forum after meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy
listed a litany of grievances and criticisms of Europe.
European countries, which see their own future defense at stake in the war
on its eastern flank, have provided financial, military and humanitarian
support for Kyiv, but not all members of the 27-nation European Union are
helping. Ukraine also has been frustrated by political disagreements within
Europe over how to deal with Russia, as well as the bloc's at times slow-moving
responses.
"Europe looks lost," Zelenskyy said in his speech, urging the continent to
become a global force. He contrasted Europe's response with Washington's bold
steps in Venezuela and Iran.
The former comic actor referred to the movie "Groundhog Day," in which the
main character must relive the same day over and over again.
"Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words: Europe
needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed. And nothing has changed.
We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again," Zelenskyy
said.
He chided Europe for being slow to act on key decisions, spending too little
on defense, failing to stop Russia's "shadow fleet" of oil tankers that are
breaking international sanctions, and balking at using its frozen assets in
Europe to finance Ukraine, among other things.
More talks in the UAE
Zelenskyy said two days of trilateral meetings involving the U.S., Ukraine
and Russia are due to begin Friday in the United Arab Emirates.
"Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has
to be ready, not only Ukraine, and this is important for us," he said.
Ushakov, the Kremlin aide, confirmed that a Russian delegation will take
part in Friday's meeting in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi. He added that during
the Kremlin meeting the U.S. voiced hope that it will "open prospects for
advancing on the entire range of issues linked to ending the conflict and
reaching a peaceful settlement."
Ushakov said that the Russian delegation will be led by the chief of
military intelligence, Adm. Igor Kostyukov. He added that Putin's envoy, Kirill
Dmitriev, will hold separate talks on economic issues with Witkoff in Abu Dhabi.
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